Anu
Anu, Sumerian An, is the sky itself and the highest authority of the Mesopotamian pantheon, the father of the gods, whose temple the Eanna, House of Heaven, stood at Uruk; the Sumerian and Akkadian god lists put him at the head of the triad with Enlil and Ea.
Anu had a real temple and a real cult at Uruk, but he was not a god of popular devotion: he is the authority who authorises, and the entry keeps him remote rather than inventing a personal relationship with him. The planetary value Uranus, the zodiac values Aquarius and Sagittarius, the tarot cards and the sabbats Yule and Litha are modern Western overlays, as are the Jupiter and Saturn values. Mesopotamian tradition knows the planets and named them - the sun, the moon, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn all have Mesopotamian gods attached by the first millennium - but it assigned Anu no planet, and the tradition's own account, the sky, the Eanna and the decree, is primary. The weekday values are the Hellenistic planetary week and are overlay too.
Correspondences
- Planetary Correspondence
- Uranus
- Zodiac Affinity
- AquariusSagittarius
Offerings
- Offerings
- BeerBreadWaterIncenseA bullFirst fruits
Sacred timing
Symbols and forms
- Alternate Names
- AnAnumFather of the GodsLord of Heaven
- Gender Expression
- Masculine
- Titles
- Lord of HeavenFather of the GodsKing of the GodsHe of the Eanna
- Symbols
- The horned crownThe skyThe bullThe eannaThe staff and ring
Practice
- Invocation Approach
- ToneThe authority that delegatesAddressAnuFather of the GodsLord of HeavenRelationshipThe king who rules by not interveningWarningHe is remote and he answers by authorising someone elseResonanceThose holding office those who have to decree
- Modern Practice
Anu is called on for authority, for the power to give an order and have it stand, and for the sky itself. He is not a warm patron - the tradition does not ask him for favours so much as approach him with the deference due to an office - and the entry keeps that distance.
Nature and meaning
- Domain
- The skyHeavenKingshipAuthorityThe power to decreeThe stars
- Mythology Summary
Anu, Sumerian An, is the sky itself and the highest authority of the Mesopotamian pantheon, the father of the gods, whose temple the Eanna, House of Heaven, stood at Uruk; the Sumerian and Akkadian god lists put him at the head of the triad with Enlil and Ea. He is remote: in the Gilgamesh epic he grants Ishtar the Bull of Heaven, in Atrahasis and in Enuma Elish the work is done by his descendants, and kingship descends from heaven at his gift. The other gods act under his authority; he does not act himself.
Details
- Correspondences
- ColorsBlueGoldWhiteGreyScentsFrankincenseCedarMyrrhMetalsGoldElectrumSilverAnimalsBullEagleSerpent
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